Thursday, September 5, 2013

Dominion Diamond posts Q2 loss

Canadian diamond producer Dominion Diamond Corp on Wednesday reported
a second-quarter loss of $16.3-million, or $0.19 a share, compared with
a profit of $4.8-million, or $0.06 a share, in the same quarter last
year.
Included in the consolidated net loss attributable to shareholders for
the quarter were $5.4-million in after-tax restructuring costs for the
Antwerp, Belgium, office and $10.6-million of expenses related to
cancelling the credit facilities that had been previously arranged in
connection with the Ekati diamond mine acquisition.
Excluding these two items and the impact of the sale of opening
acquisition inventory, which was included at market value in Ekati's
cost of sales, the company's estimated consolidated net profit
attributable to shareholders for the quarter would have been
$11.1-million, or $0.13 a share, below Wall Street analysts’
expectations of $0.18 a share.
For the quarter ended July 31, diamond sales exceeded expectations in a
market the company said had “held its ground” during the last six
months, despite the financial troubles facing India and China, which are
significant diamond consumers.
Consolidated rough diamond sales from the Diavik and Ekati diamond
mines, in Canada’s Northwest Territories, totalled $261.8-million, a
sharp rise on the $61.5-million in revenues earned during the comparable
quarter of the previous year.
Dominion recorded an operating profit of $12.4-million.
The miner said diamond market sentiment was mixed during the period.
The US remained a solid market and showed potential for stronger growth
in the second half of the financial year. Demand from the US retail
market remained focused on the mid-range of polished diamonds, where
prices remained stable throughout the quarter.
Japan also saw significant growth in jewellery demand as economic
stimulus bolstered retail activity. However, restricted demand for
higher-end polished diamonds, especially from China, had led to
discounting in these ranges.
Nevertheless, levels of retail diamond stock in China were low and the
diamond market expected an improvement in the third financial quarter as
the market fundamentals return to more normal levels.
Further, the market remained cautious owing to continued concerns about
macroeconomic uncertainty combined with worsening economic conditions
in India related to the weakening of the rupee and tightened liquidity.
Dominion said the rough diamond market had mirrored the polished
diamond market with activity centered on lower price ranges, while the
market for higher-end diamonds remained flat. Towards the end of the
quarter, it was evident that there was a shortage of supply in the lower
price ranges of rough diamond inventory and it was expected that there
would be upward pressure on the price of these goods as polishers
restock.
The rough diamond market expected the second half of the year to see a
return to more normal trading conditions and anticipated a resurgence in
demand in the lead-up to the Asian wedding and year-end holiday
seasons.